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Acts 27:39
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37 And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six apersons on the ship.  
38 So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.

Shipwrecked on Malta

39 When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible.
40 And they1 let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore.  
41 But striking1 a place where two seas met, athey ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.  
42 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape.
43 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land,
44 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was athat they all escaped safely to land. 
Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
<< Acts 27:38   Acts 27:40 >>


Acts 27:39

They knew not (ouk epeginwskon). Imperfect active of epiginwskw, to recognize. Probably conative, tried to recognize and could not (Conybeare and Howson). The island was well-known (Acts 28:1, epegnwmen), but St. Paul's Bay where the wreck took place was some distance from the main harbour (Valetta) of Melita (Malta).

They perceived (katenooun). Imperfect active of katanoew, gradually perceived after some effort as in Acts 11:16. This beach seemed their only hope.

They took counsel (ebouleuonto). Imperfect middle showing the process of deliberation and doubt. The bay "having a beach" (exonta aigialon) is a phrase found in Xenophon's Anabasis VI. 4, 4.

Whether they could drive (ei dunainto ekswsai). This use of the optative with ei in questions of this sort (implied indirect) is a neat Greek idiom (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1021). B C Bohairic read ekswsai (first aorist active infinitive of ekswzw), to save out (so Westcott and Hort), instead of ecwsai (from ecwqew, to push out, as Textus Receptus).




Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 27:39:

Acts 7:45
Acts 27:33
Acts 28:1

 

<< Acts 27:38   Acts 27:40 >>

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